As organisations rethink how they deliver applications and secure the modern workspace, two industry leaders – Citrix and Google Chrome Enterprise – are redefining what ‘secure access’ really means.
In a recent Com-X Connects interview Nick Cross, Director of Sales and Marketing at Com-X, spoke with Noriko Katsuyama, Global Lead of Customer Engineering from Chrome Browser Enterprise at Google, and Richard Parnell, Principal Account Technology Strategist at Citrix, to discuss how the Citrix + Chrome Enterprise partnership is reshaping enterprise security, application delivery, and the future of work.
For those navigating the rapid shift to Software as a Service (SaaS), browser-based tools and AI-powered applications, the message was clear: the browser is now the enterprise endpoint – and securing it requires a new approach.
The New Enterprise Endpoint
For decades, enterprises relied on Windows applications, on-prem networks, and perimeter-based security. But as Richard noted, the rapid consumerisation of technology has pushed the browser to the centre of workplace productivity.
“Users today are native to the browser,” he said. “It’s intuitive. It’s how they expect to interact with applications – simple or complex.”
As organisations modernise, SaaS and web apps now form the majority of business workflows. And with IT teams increasingly responsible for securing users everywhere – not just inside corporate networks – traditional models are struggling to keep up.
COVID-19 accelerated this shift dramatically. Suddenly, the browser became the default entry point for work, and security teams had to protect users far beyond the corporate perimeter.
“Customers were forced off the network,” Noriko said. “The browser became the place work happened and organisations had to figure out how to secure it – quickly.”
Security Within the Browser, Not Just Around It
Citrix and Chrome Enterprise have built a deeply integrated approach that protects users, applications, and data at the moment of interaction – not just at login.
Chrome Enterprise Browser brings:
• Built-in threat protection powered by billions of real-time signals
• Google Safe Browsing to stop phishing and malicious sites
• Granular policy control across managed and unmanaged devices
• Contextual access controls
• Profile-based separation of corporate and personal browsing.
Citrix adds:
• Proven secure delivery of all apps – legacy, modern, SaaS
• Secure Private Access for Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) based application access
• Session isolation, recording, and granular access policies
• Zero-trust posture extended from the datacentre to the browser.
Nick summed up the power of this partnership well: “This isn’t about security around the browser. It’s about security within it – and controlled entirely by IT.”
Reducing Endpoint Complexity While Improving Security
Both experts agreed: the definition of ‘endpoint’ is changing fast.
“The endpoint is becoming almost anonymous,” Richard explained. “As long as you have a secure browser and the right contextual access via Citrix, users can work safely from virtually any device.”
This shift allows organisations to:
• Simplify device fleets
• Reduce dependency on heavy endpoint agents
• Lower licensing costs (e.g. not every user needs an E3/E5 endpoint security stack)
• Introduce secure BYOD or third-party contractor access
• Prepare for emerging AI-driven workflows.
Chrome OS even adds an additional layer of resilience for certain personas, offering a read-only, inherently secure operating environment designed for browser-centric work.
Richard and Noriko emphasised a critical message: organisations should take a measured, persona-based approach to transformation.
Richard’s advice to CIOs and CISOs: “Take the time to understand your personas, your applications, and the outcomes you want. Then build a staged plan – starting with the simplest, highest-value use cases.”
Noriko added transformation can’t be a ‘rip and replace’. “If you move too fast and lose your end users, you lose trust – and that’s hard to win back.”
The message from Citrix and Google was clear: organisations no longer need to choose between security, simplicity, and user productivity.
Watch the full interview or listen to the podcast below:
About Citrix Secure Access with Chrome Enterprise
Citrix Secure Access with Chrome Enterprise brings together the power of Citrix’s industry-leading digital workspace technologies and Google’s browser. Designed for organisations that need fast, reliable and compliant access to apps and data, the integrated solution delivers a modern Zero Trust approach to secure hybrid work.
By combining Citrix’s advanced access, app delivery and policy controls with the built-in protections of Chrome Enterprise, IT teams can provide employees with a streamlined, high-performance experience on any device – without compromising security. The joint solution simplifies deployment, reduces management overhead, and enhances end-to-end visibility, helping organisations strengthen their security posture while enabling their teams to work productively from anywhere.
About Com-X Connects
Com-X Connects brings you inside the ideas, technologies and people shaping how we work in a digital-first world. Hosted by Nick Cross, from Com-X – Australia’s leading digital workspaces and cybersecurity specialists – each episode features conversations with industry experts and innovators who are redefining productivity, collaboration, and security.
From AI and cloud transformation to endpoint protection and digital experience, Com-X Connects dives into the challenges and opportunities facing modern workplaces – and how organisations can build smarter, safer, and more connected teams.
Tune in to learn how technology and innovation are driving the next evolution of work.
